Andrew Baker Q&A: Security

Andrew Baker has been an IT manager specializing in security for over 25 years. He has worked at a variety of firms ranging from large enterprises like Sanford Bernstein, Bear Stearns, Warner Music Group and the Princeton Review, to SMBs like Send Word Now. In the wake of the 9/11 World Trade Center bombings, Baker was tasked with getting the network up and running and defending its data from any potential hacks. As a lifelong security expert, Baker knows that there is no such thing as absolute foolproof security. But he’s also aware that even the strongest security mechanisms can be undermined by human error and lack of strong security policies and procedures and corporation’s failure to enforce common sense security practices. Baker is President and founder of BrainWave Consulting Company, LLC in Gassaway, West Virginia where he provides Virtual CIO services for small/medium businesses. See Andrew's complete social presence at XeeMe.com/AndrewBaker/.

Michael Miller Q&A: SUSE and Attachmate Group

The last 14 months have been eventful for SUSE as it began a new chapter in its history. In April, 2011, The Attachmate Group bought Novell (which had purchased SUSE in 2004 for $210 million) and SUSE for $2.2 billion. SUSE now functions as an independent business unit. Its main products are the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop and the SUSE Studio, development tools. ITIC interviewed Michael Miller, SUSE’s Vice President of Global Alliances & Marketing and Kerry Kim, the company’s director of Product Marketing. The two SUSE executives discussed the initiatives since the Attachmate acquisition and detailed SUSE’s current and future product, key alliance partners and business strategies.

Scott Handy Q&A: IBM PowerLinux

As part of our ongoing series of Q&As with high-tech industry luminaries, ITIC Principal Laura DiDio spoke with Scott Handy, IBM vice president of strategy and business development for PowerLinux. Handy discusses IBM’s latest lineup of PowerLinux products and how they align with Big Blue’s strategy in pivotal market segments like Big Data, Virtualization and cloud computing. Handy is a 20+ year IBM veteran and a longtime Open Source proponent. Prior to this, he was vice president of worldwide Linux and Open Source for IBM. In addition, Scott has held numerous executive, technical sales, marketing, and strategy positions covering Large Accounts, Channels, Small and Medium Business and IBM solutions for Windows NT, Sun Solaris and OS/2 Warp.

Steve Sommer Q&A: Virtualization, Cloud & DR

Steve Sommer has seen just about everything in his 30+ years as an IT executive. As a Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) since the late 1980s he’s witnessed the industry’s transition from the “dumb” terminal/server paradigm and slow, kludge dial-up to today’s “always on” networks. He’s also participated in and grappled with all of the positive and negative aspects of transformational and disruptive technology trends. Sommer has experienced firsthand how the “consumerization of IT” and the rapidly increasing numbers of remote users accessing the network via smart phones and tablets impacts IT, security and how companies do business in the 21st Century. Sommer is currently CIO at Stromberg & Forbes, LLC, a financial services company with offices in New York and Florida. Prior to that he spent 25 years at Hughes, Hubbard and Reed a law firm headquartered in New York City. He worked his way up at HH&R to become CIO and CTO, holding down both jobs simultaneously. ITIC interviewed Sommer on a wide range of topics including: the Pros and Cons of new technologies like virtualization and cloud computing. He also talked about the impact and implications of end users utilizing consumer devices for ubiquitous connectivity. Sommer also dispensed practical, tactical advice on how organizations can construct a strategy for efficient and secure mobility and remote access. As an eyewitness to the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, Sommer talks about the terrorist attack has changed the way companies view disaster recovery (DR) and backup plans in a post 9/11 world.

Stu Sjouwerman Q&A: Security

Longtime security professional, Stu Sjouwerman is the founder and CEO of KnowBe4.com a Tampa, Florida-based security startup that specializes in on-demand Internet Security Awareness Training (ISAT). The company’s goal is to enable organizations to quickly solve the increasingly urgent security problem of social engineering and avoid attacks before they occur. Sjouwerman also publishes an Electronic newsletter called Cyberheist. Prior to founding KnowBe4.com, Sjouwerman was president, CEO and founder of Sunbelt Software – now GFI Software which makes the VIPRE security package. He is also the founder and former editor of the popular WServerNews electronic newsletter which has a worldwide distribution. ITIC recently sat down and interviewed Sjouwerman about security threats and how companies can defend themselves.